Team Goemkarponn
PUNE: The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has temporarily barred the implementation of environmental and Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) clearances issued for the Mormugao Port Trust’s channel-deepening project, directing that the approvals remain non-operational until November 2, when the matter will be heard again.
The direction was issued by the tribunal’s Western Zone Bench in Pune on September 26, while hearing an interim application filed by Rupesh Shinkre and another appellant challenging the clearances granted on July 21, 2025. The bench comprised Judicial Member Justice Dinesh Kumar Singh and Expert Member Dr. Sujit Kumar Bajpayee.
The challenge raises questions about the adequacy of pollution assessments, the environmental consequences of large-scale dredging and the inclusion of conditions in the clearances that may not relate to the project.
### Coal Dust Emissions Under Scrutiny
A key issue before the tribunal is whether the environmental assessment adequately considered pollution from the handling of coal, coke and other metallurgical ores at the port.
The appellants submitted that deepening the approach channel could enable larger vessels to access Mormugao Port, potentially facilitating a substantial expansion of coal-handling operations at berths 5, 6 and 7. According to their submissions, the combined handling capacity at these berths could rise from 12 million tonnes annually to 42.1 million tonnes.
In examining the pollution concerns, the bench referred to earlier Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB) monitoring records that showed elevated particulate matter levels at several locations around the port in 2016. A study by the National Institute of Oceanography was also cited in connection with the risks posed by coal dust.
The appellants questioned whether an IIT Bombay study on particulate source apportionment had been placed before the Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC) during the clearance process.
The tribunal has directed the port trust to establish within two weeks whether the study was submitted to the committee and considered as part of its appraisal.
### Dredging Raises Questions About Marine Ecology
The proposed dredging and its possible effects on the surrounding coastal environment formed another significant part of the proceedings.
The bench examined the record of a Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority (GCZMA) meeting held in May 2024, which highlighted possible consequences for the estuary, seabed, riverbanks, beaches and marine biodiversity.
An inspection report cited during the hearing referred to a planned channel depth of around 19 metres and an estimated dredging volume of approximately 15 million cubic metres.
The report called for a fresh environmental impact assessment before dredging begins. It also recommended additional investigations into seabed stability, sediment properties and the potential effects on marine and terrestrial ecosystems.
The appellants maintained that these recommendations and environmental risks had not been sufficiently addressed before the clearances were issued.
### Approval Conditions Come Under Tribunal’s Lens
Apart from the environmental concerns, the bench identified apparent inconsistencies in the conditions attached to the EC and CRZ approvals.
According to the order, some conditions appeared to have little connection with the port-deepening proposal, raising the possibility that provisions from other project approvals had been incorporated into the documents.
The bench also expressed concern over the lack of adequate clarification from the counsel representing the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change on the origin and relevance of these conditions.
The project proponent has been allowed three weeks, as a final opportunity, to submit a tabulated statement demonstrating compliance with the terms of reference.
Separately, the port trust must provide the requested material concerning the IIT Bombay study within two weeks. The appellants have also been granted two weeks to respond to the port trust’s additional affidavit filed on September 23, 2026.
### NGT to Revisit the Matter in November
The tribunal’s interim direction means that the environmental and CRZ clearances cannot be operationalised pending further consideration of the case on November 2, 2026.
The next hearing is expected to provide an opportunity for the tribunal to examine the additional documents and clarifications sought from the parties.
The order does not amount to a final cancellation of the project clearances. The legal challenge remains pending, with questions concerning pollution assessment, dredging impacts and the validity of the approval conditions still to be examined.
